Council Member Unsure Signs Can Prevent Gator Attack

DELTONA — A fatal alligator attack on a 3 1/2 -year-old New Smyrna Beach boy had some Volusia County officials talking Sunday about what can be done to prevent another such death.

Adam Binford died Friday when an 11-foot gator pulled him under as he played with his dog in knee-deep water along the shore of Lake Ashby near Deltona.

Family members said Sunday funeral plans for Adam were still incomplete. Settle-Wilder Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Larry Bass, Adam's uncle, said the family wanted to thank all the rescue workers who searched for the child.

Because Adam, like many other children, was too young to read, Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk said designing a danger sign with a warning symbol would be an appropriate precaution to take.

''I think educating people about such things is the key factor,'' Masiarczyk said. ''I'd like to see some sort of logo developed that would tell people about these kinds of dangers.''

Pat Northey, a member of the Volusia County Council and a Deltona resident, isn't sure that signs would help. Still, she is willing to bring the issue before the council.

''I don't know that some people really pay attention to signs,'' she said. ''It's not that I'm not sympathetic, because I am. This is a terrible thing for the family to go through, but there are some common-sense things we have to look at.''

Northey, a longtime Florida resident, said she thinks most people are aware that alligators can be in any body of water in the state and that they shouldn't take dogs near those waters.

''There are lots of conditions in Florida that you have to be aware of, whether you live here or are just visiting,'' she said, citing lightning strikes and rip currents.

''We don't warn people against sharks in the ocean, but we do have the occasional shark attack,'' she said.

But she does agree that signs should be considered.

''I would suspect that when everybody gets over the shock of this tragedy, we'll (County Council members) take a look at what we can do to prevent it again.''

Typically, a human is too large to tempt an alligator as prey. But a small child wading or a dog swimming and splashing near the shore could attract a gator's interest.

''Many alligator bites on humans are mistakes,'' said Kent Vliet, a biologist and professor at University of Florida in Gainesville.